The Fisher Space Pen is very popular in the backpacking community because its nitrogen charged cartridge has ability to write in freezing cold, desert heat, upside down, and even under water.
The Bullet model pen (shown above) weighs in at 0.65 oz, which is arguably light enough for all but the most discriminating of ultralight backpacking enthusiasts. To reduce weight I decided to bring only the 0.10 oz pen refill and leave the rest at home. All I had to do is come up with a solution for a cap. For this I went to the hardware store and bought a pack of 1/8" heat shrink tubing. After cutting the tubing to length and spending 5 minutes with the hair dryer, my project was done. At $5.00 for the pen refill, and $1.99 for enough heat shrink tubing to make several caps, this ultralight pen is also ultra-affordable!
So I saved 0.55oz of pack weight today, which by itself isn't much. But if you do this with everything in your pack, it quickly adds up to pounds off your back. That's how you get your pack weight to a minimum without having to leave things at home...find the lightest alternative for every item. That way you can bring everything you need, and nothing you don't!
I'm not sure if this is the worlds lightest headlamp, but at 0.3 ounces it just might be! Have I gone too far? Maybe not...
Start with a Photon X-Light Micro key chain light, which costs about 10 bucks at REI and other retailers. Remove the metal clip and loop from the light. Then cut a piece of 1/16" shock cord about two feet long and fish it through the loop on the end of the light. Add cord lock, tie a knot at the end, and this Make your own gear project is done!
The light is very bright for its size and weight. Don't get me wrong...it isn't like the multi-bulb "ultralight" headlamps that can weigh 5-10 times more. But unless you are night hiking with no moon, this light is probably bright enough for the tasks you do around camp after dark.
If you're not using the light, you can wear it like a necklace and not even know it's there. Want a little general indirect lighting? Turn it on and let it hang around your neck, on a tree limb, or anywhere else you can find. It also works great as an overhead light in your tent!
Because of the shape of the end of the light, you can wear it in three positions. Angled up, straight ahead, or angled down. Just tighten the cord lock and it stays put.
When you pack it away, put it in a safe place so you don't lose it! You might want to have several...your backpack, day pack, car, work.
I recently upgraded to a Canon S95 camera from my previous Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1. Photo quality will no doubt greatly improve, especially in low light situations. One concern was going away from a water proof camera, but I felt that the improved image quality would be well worth it. I needed to decide how I would protect my new investment from the elements of the back country, and I had some 0.6oz cuben fiber scraps, so I decided to make a custom waterproof stuff sack for it. Here's how you can make one as well...
A finished size of 4" wide x 8" tall will leave enough room at the top opening to fold it over for a water tight closure. With a 1/2" seam allowance on the side, and 1" at the top and bottom, the cut size needs to be 9 x 10.
Once the piece is cut out, start by working on the top draw cord channel. First, fold both sides at an angle to allow for an opening that the draw cord will enter and exit through. (The right side of the photo is the top of the sack).
Next use a straight stitch to secure the angled flap. This will prevent it from pulling out with the draw cord.
Then fold the top down twice to make the draw cord channel, and sew it closed.
Now it's time to sew the side shut. I like felled seams for sides of stuff sacks for their strength. Start with a 1/2" seam allowance, inside out of course, and sew using a straight stitch. Then fold the flap down and sew the end to the body of the material. Note that this can be a difficult seam to master at first, especially with a stuff sack this small. Remember to pull the material to the sides in order to keep the seam nice and flat, and go very slow. This is an area that is easy to sew something into the seam you don't want. If you do, not big deal, just pull out the bad stitches and continue.
Next comes the bottom. With a small stuff sack like this, I don't worry about squaring off the bottom corners to give it the ability to sit upright. In this example, the draw cord will come out of the side, but you could also put it in the middle depending on your needs. Fold the bottom over twice, and still inside out, sew a straight stitch. Since this will be seam taped, I will only use a single stitch.
Now it's time to apply the seam tape. Simply cut it to size and apply. It's always good to clean the material with rubbing alcohol first to maximize adhesion.
After you have applied seam tape to the side and bottom seams, turn the stuff sack right side out and add your draw cord. An easy method to calculate the length needed is width x 2 + 4". Since this sack is 4" wide, I needed a 12" long piece of draw cord. Fish it through the top channel with a safety pin, add a cord lock, and tie the end.
There you have it, a custom sized waterproof stuff sack. This one only weighs about .07oz (my scale was going back and forth between .05 and .10, so I estimate .07). This little project will serve me for years, and I can't think of any alternative that would be any where near this light!
